The Language of Argument and Empowerment 

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered on August 28, 1963, in Washington (TeacherTube), was an outcry for equality for the Blacks. Despite the existence of the century-old Emancipation Proclamation, the African Americans, during King’s time, were subjected to racial segregation and economic inequality. However, their circumstances have not much altered even in the twenty-first century United States. Racism continues to be a vital problem with the Blacks encountering discrimination in employment, education, and housing.

The absence of ample opportunities for African Americans represents outright intolerance as the nation’s labor markets possess the potential for full employment.

As of December 2019, the rate of unemployment for Blacks was 5.9% while it remained 3.2% for the Whites (Inequality). A major population of Blacks depends on unstable jobs and meager pay. This, in turn, points to the concern of economic inequality which has tremendously worsen in the present era. The wealth gap between the white and black Americans has widened and the former holds 6.

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5 times the capital than the Blacks (Citylab). Racial differentiation in labor income is found to be the chief ingredient here as it paves the way to limited access for a better living condition. According to studies, even in 2018, the educated Blacks earned way less than their white counterparts (Citylab).

The segregation in schools at the residential level prevails in localities where the white parents are defiant to inclusion (Vox). The segregated schools lack adequate resources that are served for the Whites, thereby inhibiting equality in education. However, the number of black Americans graduating from schools and colleges have tremendously increased in the past years.

But in contrast to their white peers, Blacks, especially women, are the most affected with the student loan debt.

Though rates of black poverty have dwindled, the socioeconomic disparity and race relations have not relatively improved across the years. The likelihood for black children to grow up in poor neighborhoods has drastically escalated in recent years than in the1960s (Vox). The scarcity of optimal wage, combined with residential segregation, prevent the families to seek decent housing. Also, neighborhoods with concentrated poverty mark the highest rate of criminal deeds. Black Americans are unfairly treated by law enforcement and the judiciary and are sentenced severely than the whites for the same offense. Mainly owing to racial prejudice and earlier records of crimes, the proportion of incarceration has elevated as per the reports in 2015 (Vox).

The atrocities of the police force, as stated by King in his speech, continues to this day as the possibility of a Black getting killed by the cops is a relevant issue even now. African Americans still endure various hurdles during their lifetime. A remarkable portion of the Blacks needs integrated education, full employment, equal wage, and proper housing. The dream of King which yearned for the complete social and economic empowerment and freedom of the African Americans has not been fulfilled. The inequalities against the disadvantaged populace could only be erased with the cessation of subtle racism which is still prevalent in the nation.